Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Ok, last week Elizabeth got her driver's license. The very next day she offered to go and pick up Grace from her summer school program. Elizabeth said everything went well--she pulled up to the curb with ease, went into the school, walked Grace out to the car, and helped buckled into her seat. All was fine....

UNTIL about 30 seconds later Elizabeth realized she was sitting in the front passenger's seat!!! She thought to herself "Oh, yeah I AM THE DRIVER!"

Ok, last week Elizabeth got her driver's license. The very next day she offered to go and pick up Grace from her summer school program. Elizabeth said everything went well--she pulled up to the curb with ease, went into the school, walked Grace out to the car, and helped buckled into her seat. All was fine....

UNTIL about 30 seconds later Elizabeth realized she was sitting in the front passenger's seat!!! She thought to herself "Oh, yeah I AM THE DRIVER!"

Friday, August 13, 2010

I still feel so blessed and privileged to be able to witness Bella's many firsts. This time she went to her first North Dakota State Fair. Suffice it to say, she loved it! The rides, the people, the food, and especially THE PIGS!!! (her favorite animal after the elephant...LOL)

I still feel so blessed and privileged to be able to witness Bella's many firsts. This time she went to her first North Dakota State Fair. Suffice it to say, she loved it! The rides, the people, the food, and especially THE PIGS!!! (her favorite animal after the elephant...LOL)

Monday, August 9, 2010

Every year we head out in the family truckster, complete with the rooftop carrier, for the Northwestern Mutual's Annual Meeting. One might say it is the "ground hog day" of vacations--same hotels, same restaurants, and even the same activities at the same times. :) Thank goodness the kids like the structure and predictability this affords!

We headed out to Milwaukee on July 22nd this year. BUT WAIT, we really shook it up this year as we went a different direction so that we could stop and meet Michelle Zoromski and her family who just brought Lilya home a week prior from Bella's same orphanage.

Here are the kids at a Culver's right before we got to the Zoromskis:

Here is Bella, Lilya, and Ruby (Lilya's new little sister):Lilya and Bella:Elizabeth and Lilya (Elizabeth got to love on Lilya last summer at the Berizka orphanage)....And, finally, here is Bella & me and Lilya & Michelle...We had so much fun meeting Lilya's family. We got to meet Lilya last year at the orphanage, so it was so special to see her again living with her wonderful new family!

After our short stop to meet Lilya and her family, we headed south to Milwaukee. On Friday and Saturday we spent most of the time in the hotel water park because Daddy had meetings for special needs planning.

On Saturday night, we went to the "MinnKota" dinner held at a really nice place called "Mikey's".

Here are the kids at their table:Sunday morning we participated in the fun walk...they close down downtown Milwaukee so that over 10,000 agents, home office personnel, and their families can participate in the Roots and Wings Run/Walk.Sunday afternoon we went to the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa to do a little shopping. After that, we went to the "Garden Party" where the agents and their famlies eat under four big tents, listen to music, play games, and have the Milwaukee Zoo all to ourselves....Monday night Elizabeth & Daddy got all dolled up and went to the College Awards Night....On Tuesday we went to the waterpark, then the two olders and I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Loved it once again! :) After a full day, we went to Mo's Irish Pub for dinner. We headed out for home on Wednesday morning and all voted in favor of driving straight through. Fourteen hours later, we arrived safe and sound and glad to be home.

Every year we head out in the family truckster, complete with the rooftop carrier, for the Northwestern Mutual's Annual Meeting. One might say it is the "ground hog day" of vacations--same hotels, same restaurants, and even the same activities at the same times. :) Thank goodness the kids like the structure and predictability this affords!

We headed out to Milwaukee on July 22nd this year. BUT WAIT, we really shook it up this year as we went a different direction so that we could stop and meet Michelle Zoromski and her family who just brought Lilya home a week prior from Bella's same orphanage.

Here are the kids at a Culver's right before we got to the Zoromskis:

Here is Bella, Lilya, and Ruby (Lilya's new little sister):Lilya and Bella:Elizabeth and Lilya (Elizabeth got to love on Lilya last summer at the Berizka orphanage)....And, finally, here is Bella & me and Lilya & Michelle...We had so much fun meeting Lilya's family. We got to meet Lilya last year at the orphanage, so it was so special to see her again living with her wonderful new family!

After our short stop to meet Lilya and her family, we headed south to Milwaukee. On Friday and Saturday we spent most of the time in the hotel water park because Daddy had meetings for special needs planning.

On Saturday night, we went to the "MinnKota" dinner held at a really nice place called "Mikey's".

Here are the kids at their table:Sunday morning we participated in the fun walk...they close down downtown Milwaukee so that over 10,000 agents, home office personnel, and their families can participate in the Roots and Wings Run/Walk.Sunday afternoon we went to the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa to do a little shopping. After that, we went to the "Garden Party" where the agents and their famlies eat under four big tents, listen to music, play games, and have the Milwaukee Zoo all to ourselves....Monday night Elizabeth & Daddy got all dolled up and went to the College Awards Night....On Tuesday we went to the waterpark, then the two olders and I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Loved it once again! :) After a full day, we went to Mo's Irish Pub for dinner. We headed out for home on Wednesday morning and all voted in favor of driving straight through. Fourteen hours later, we arrived safe and sound and glad to be home.

About Me

Hello! My name is Paula Burckhard. I am married to Kevin and have five children: Elizabeth (20), Samuel (17), Grace (14 w/Down syndrome), Bella (9 w/Down syndrome adopted from Ukraine 2009); and Nole' (7 w/Down syndrome adopted from Serbia 2011) We are a family that loves God and desires to bring him Glory in all we do.

Bella Bogdana Burckhard

This "beautiful gift from God" has been given to us through the miracle of adoption. She became part of our family in August 2009. We are excited to see how God will use this Ukrainian princess for his glory!